Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Children and teens outpace total population growth
- Sugar target set to tackle childhood obesity
- Number of working women soars
- Lunchboxes hit by infant free schools meals
- Companies and brands
- Products for 5-12s a small share of launches
- Five categories dominate children’s food launches
- Kids snacks put emphasis on 5-a-day
- Catering for demand for natural products
- L/N/R claims a bigger focus in children’s foods
- Added nutrition and health benefit claims growing
- The consumer
- Breakfast cereals and crisps most bought for children
- Catering for what children like is most important
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- Figure 1: Factors most important for parents when choosing food for children, September 2017
- Pester power a major influence on spending
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- Figure 2: Parents’ behaviour relating to children’s eating habits, September 2017
- High importance attached to trying wide range of foods and cooking
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- Figure 3: Parents’ attitudes towards children’s eating habits, September 2017
- Snacks are most likely to be eaten after school
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- Figure 4: Time of day children eat snacks, September 2017
- Big market for healthy school lunchbox items
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- Figure 5: Children’s behaviour and attitudes in relation to food, September 2017
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Interest in healthier foods for kids a key opportunity
- The facts
- The implications
- Food brands and retailers can help encourage wider meal choice
- The facts
- The implications
- Tapping into what children like is a priority for brands and retailers
- The facts
- The implications
- Healthy lunch boxes and after-school snacks remain big markets to target
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Children and teens outpacing total population growth
- Sugar target set to tackle childhood obesity
- New restrictions on advertising targeted at children
- Apps support Change4Life campaign
- Number of working mothers soars
- Lunchboxes hit by universal infant free school meals
- Most children are missing 5-a-day target
- Inflation putting a squeeze on family budgets
Market Drivers
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- Children and teens outpacing total population growth
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- Figure 6: Trends in the age structure of the UK population (0-15 year olds), by age, 2012-22
- Targets set to cut sugar and tackle childhood obesity
- New restrictions on advertising targeted at children
- Apps support Change4Life campaign
- Number of working mothers soars
- Universal Infant Free School Meals and healthy lunchbox policies
- Only a fifth of children reaching 5-a-day target
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- Figure 7: Proportion of children aged 5-15 eating 5 portions or more of fruit and vegetables a day, 2015-15
- Inflation putting a squeeze on family budgets
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Products for 5-12s a small share of launches
- Five categories dominate children’s food launches
- Kids’ snacks put emphasis on 5-a-day
- Natural or healthier claims a rarity in bakery
- Kids’ yogurts and cereals take action on sugar
- Children’s ready meals are an undeveloped area
- Catering for demand for natural products
- L/N/R sugar claims a bigger focus in children’s foods
- Added nutrition and health benefit claims growing
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Products for children aged 5-12 take a small share of food launches
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- Figure 8: Proportion of new launches in the UK food market making children (5-12) claims, 2012-17
- Five categories dominate children’s food launches
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- Figure 9: Breakdown of new food launches making children (5-12) claims, by category, 2012-17
- Snacks and treats a big element of new children’s launches
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- Figure 10: Breakdown of new food launches making children (5-12) claims, by top 10 sub-categories, 2012-17
- Kids’ snacks put emphasis on 5-a-day
- Natural or healthier claims a rarity in bakery
- Kids’ yogurts cutting added sugar
- Health and fun are key themes in children’s breakfast cereals NPD
- Children’s ready meals are an undeveloped area
- Catering for demand for natural products for kids
- More children’s foods making free-from claims
- L/N/R sugar claims a bigger focus in children’s foods
- Added nutrition and health benefit claims growing
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- Figure 11: new food launches making children (5-12) claims, by claims, 2012-17
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Breakfast cereals and crisps most bought for children
- Catering for what child likes most important
- Contributing to 5-a-day most important health-related factor
- Sugar also a major concern among parents
- Pester power a major influence on spending
- Advertising influences what children want to eat
- High importance attached to trying wide range of foods
- Teaching children to cook from scratch a high priority
- Snacks are most likely to be eaten after school
- Big market for ‘healthy’ school packed lunches
Foods Bought in Household and Those Bought Specifically for Children
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- Wide range of foods bought specifically for children
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- Figure 12: Buying different foods and buying them specifically for children, September 2017
- Low availability of pasta sauces for kids limits uptake
- 7-9-year-olds most likely to eat different products to parents
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- Figure 13: Buying different foods specifically for children, by age of child, September 2017
Factors Influencing Choice of Food for Children
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- Finding something kids like is most important for parents
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- Figure 14: Factors most important when choosing food for children, September 2017
- Contributing to 5-a-day most important health-related factor
- Sugar also a major concern among parents
- Being a source of vitamins/minerals also important
- Absence of artificial ingredients matters to a third of parents
Behaviour Relating to Children’s Eating Habits
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- Pester power a major influence on spending
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- Figure 15: Parents’ behaviour relating to children’s eating habits, September 2017
- Advertising influences what children want to eat
Attitudes towards Children’s Eating Habits
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- High importance attached to children trying a wide range of foods
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- Figure 16: Parents’ attitudes towards children’s eating habits, September 2017
- Teaching children how to cook from scratch a high priority
- ‘Hidden’ healthy ingredients offer NPD opportunities
- Room for unhealthy treats in moderation
- …but not at school
Meal and Snack Eating Habits of Children
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- Vast majority eat breakfast and dinner at home
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- Figure 17: Where children eat different meals and snacks, September 2017
- Snacks are most likely to be eaten after school
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- Figure 18: Time of day children eat snacks, September 2017
- More children have packed lunches than school meals
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- Figure 19: Type of lunch that children have at school most often, September 2017
Children’s Behaviour and Attitudes in Relation to Food
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- Children recognise the importance of healthy diets
- Schools scrutinise lunchboxes
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- Figure 20: Children’s behaviour and attitudes in relation to food, September 2017
- Children have a big interest in food and cooking
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Figure 21: Total UK food launches, by claim, 2012-17
- Figure 22: Incidence of children (5-12) claims in different food categories, % of launches in each category, 2012-17
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